1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for preparing a cleaning liquid for a milking device. The device includes a buffer vessel for cleaning liquid, a metering system for a cleaning agent, a water feed and a mixing vessel for mixing the cleaning agent with the water supplied, which mixing vessel is provided with an outlet to the buffer vessel and may optionally form part of the buffer vessel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices of this kind are known, for example, from EP-A-0 399 604, filed by the same applicant, in which hot water can be metered into a vessel and cleaning agent is metered using the pump. The cleaning agent is supplied to the farmer in a container which contains the cleaning agent in liquid form. It is drawn out of the container by means of the pump. The cleaning agents are generally more or less aggressive substances which have to be handled very carefully, since otherwise spillage can damage clothing and the like. Also, empty containers are contaminated to such an extent that they have to be treated as chemical waste and disposed of as such.
The object of the invention is to avoid these drawbacks and, to this end, the metering system comprises a chamber for storing dry cleaning agent, as well as metering means, which are connected to the chamber, for metering an adjustable quantity of dry cleaning agent into the mixing vessel. Due to the fact that the cleaning agents are supplied and metered in dry form, there is less risk of spillage and the packaging also causes less contamination.
According to a further improvement, the cleaning agent is in tablet form. By pressing the cleaning agent into tablets, it is made easy to handle and manipulate without loose material being released, with the result that the cleaning agent can be removed from the packaging and metered in a simple manner.
According to a further improvement, the metering means are provided with a metering slide for removing at least one tablet of cleaning agent from the chamber and moving it to the mixing vessel. As a result, cleaning agent can be metered in a simple manner.
According to a further improvement, the metering means are provided with sealing means for sealing off the chamber from steam. Consequently, the cleaning agents in the chamber cannot be wetted by moisture from the mixing vessel or from the humid atmosphere in a milking shed.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the metering slide comprises an opening which can be moved from a first position, in which the opening is in communication with the chamber, to a second position, in which the opening is in communication with the mixing vessel. This prevents open communication between the chamber and the mixing vessel, so that there is no possibility of moisture from the mixing vessel passing into the chamber.
According to a further improvement of the invention, the metering means and the water feed are provided with operating means for automatically metering cleaning agent and water, respectively, into the mixing vessel. As a result, it is possible for the user to prepare cleaning liquid in a simple manner.
The invention also relates to a milking device which is provided with a control system for an automatically operating cleaning system, in which according to a further improvement the operating means are coupled to the control system of the automatically operating cleaning system. As a result, it is possible to clean the milking system automatically.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the mixing vessel is provided with two or more metering systems containing at least two types of cleaning agent. As a result, cleaning can be carried out in sequence with, for example, an acidic cleaning agent, which allows systems containing at least two types of cleaning agent. As a result, cleaning can be carried out in sequence with, for example, an acidic cleaning agent, which allows the lines to be descaled, and an alkaline cleaning agent for fat-dissolving. It is also possible to add, for example, a disinfectant at the same time as the alkaline cleaning agent, using a third metering system.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the chamber is formed by a casing which is closed at the top and is positioned in a sealing ring. As a result, a sealed chamber is formed in a simple manner.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the metering system is provided with indicator means for displaying the amount of cleaning agent present in the chamber.
The invention also relates to a cleaning agent for alkaline cleaning a milking device comprising alkaline agent such as caustic soda combined with wetting agent. According to the invention the cleaning agent is distributed and stored before use as a combination tablet comprising the agent for alkaline cleaning and a disinfectant. By combining the alkaline agent, the wetting agent and the disinfectant in a tablet these agents always have the desired ration of concentration, which is advantageous when cleaning a milking device.
The invention further relates to a casing with cleaning agent for cleaning a milking device. According to the invention the cleaning agent comprises tablets for alkaline cleaning and tablets for acidic cleaning whereby the tablets are placed on the casing in the sequence of desired used. In this it is ensured that the different cleaning agents are used in the correct order for optimal cleaning results.